


Workout Routine

by mydeira



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-15
Updated: 2012-01-15
Packaged: 2017-10-29 13:35:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/320468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mydeira/pseuds/mydeira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gwen makes a discovery early one morning at Torchwood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Workout Routine

“…garet, Mary Frances, Mary Patrick…”

Gwen stopped a few feet down the hall from the training room and backed up. Peeking through the partially opened door, she spied Jack on the mats doing push-ups. But instead of counting each set, he was reciting names.

“…Louise, Father Clement, Tobias Finn…”

He was an odd one he was. Sounded like he was working his way through a Catholic school. Shaking her head, Gwen continued on, determined to get some coffee before she did anything else for the day.

Ianto was just putting on a fresh pot.

“First pot of the day,” he informed her as he switched the pot on. “Should be ready in no time.”

It already smelled divine as the water started to percolate through the grounds. She wasn’t sure what he did to the stuff, but she’d never had better. He was lousy at tea, though.

She leaned back against the counter, watching him fuss about with the mugs. “Ianto, you wouldn’t by any chance know what Jack’s up to in the training room?”

“His morning workout, I expect,” he replied in a tone that was just short of condescending.

“With the names,” she added. “Most people would count.”

“Jack’s not most people.”

No, he certainly wasn’t.

“The names, where at was he?” Ianto asked, bringing her over a mug of steaming hot coffee.

“Thanks,” she said. “Sounded like a Catholic school.”

“Ah, then he’s going by location today. Geographically farthest to nearest, seeing as he’s nearly done with his workout.” Ianto relayed the information as if reciting names by location was perfectly normal.

“And who exactly do the names belong to? People he’s met?”

Ianto’s lips curled in an amused smirk. “Met is certainly one way of putting it.”

“Well, what’s another way?” she said irritably. It was too early for games. Were none of these people capable of giving a straight answer?

“They’re the people Jack’s shagged,” he replied, nonplused. “Or so he claims. Says it makes for a good mental exercise, more so than counting.”

Gwen gaped at him. “And how many is that exactly?”

Ianto shrugged. “Don’t rightly know. Owen’s running a pool if you want in.” Then he added, “Considering the shape Jack’s in, I’d advise you to guess pretty high.”

With that he turned and went back to the coffee.

Mug in hand, Gwen headed back down the hallway.

“…tor, Alice Claymore, Patrick Robbins, Donovan Robbins, Ianto Jones.”

She very nearly choked on her coffee. She’d seen Jack flirt with Ianto, but there were few people he didn’t flirt with in some fashion. Still, she had assumed that he’d keep a distance from his coworkers the way most supervisors did. But just as he wasn’t like most people, he wasn’t like most supervisors, either.

The door to the training room opened wide.

“The coffee’s good but not that good, Ianto. I’m not—” Jack looked at her in surprise, then smiled. “So Ianto’s trying a new route, sending the new girl to see if she can find out the number? Not a bad way to go.”

“What? No, I’m not here to… No one… I was just…” God, she felt like a child with her hand caught in the cookie jar.

He grinned at her. “You were just passing by.”

She nodded, unable to look at him straight on. Unfortunately, her eyes landed on his chest, bare and very, very well— Tearing her eyes away, she forced herself to look at him directly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“I was nearly finished anyway. Besides, it’s something else to throw off Toshiko’s computer program.” Gwen’s confusion must have shown because his grin widened. “She’s tried to develop a program to come up with a definitive number. But since I never go in the same order twice in a row and occasionally repeat names, depending, it’s made her a bit touchy.” After a moment, he continued. “I still haven’t figured out Owen’s method. But Ianto’s been trying to bribe me with coffee.”

They were a strange lot that was for certain.

She had to know something. “Is it true, though, about the names?”

Jack’s eyes danced. “Absolutely.”

“But why?”

“It’s a better distraction than counting.” His voice took on an edge of seriousness when he said, “And I like to make sure I can remember. I’m not a fan of forgetting things.”

Gwen was certain she had been given some insight into what made Jack tick, but before she could press the issue, he was back to the light, flirtatious manner of before.

“So what’s your method going to be?” he asked.

“It’s none of my business,” she protested.

His eyes narrowed . When he spoke again, his voice was low, the kind of low that made you pay attention and made your mind go down paths it shouldn’t be going. “You like answers, Gwen. You’ll want to know.”

She stood straighter and adopted a cool manner. “I’ve got better things to think about besides finding out how many people you’ve shagged.”

“No. You don’t.” He flashed her a bright, wide grin before heading back into the training room.

He was right. Again. And now she wasn’t going to be able to think on anything else. What she wouldn’t give for an alien invasion at the moment.

“I refuse to bloody wager on it,” she mumbled to herself, watching as Jack retreated toward the showers.  
 ****


End file.
